Tile

ABSTRACT

A four sided tile, particularly for paving, flooring or cladding includes a first side edge, a second slide edge parallel with shorter than the first side edge, and third and fourth side edges which are not parallel. The length of the shorter side edges is the same and the sum of their length is equal to the length of the larger side. The side edges are preferable curved with radii of equal length.

The invention relates to tiles.

In this specification the term "tiles" refers to non-fired or fired clayor cementitious bricks, blocks, slabs or tiles, ceramic or other glazedtiles, parquet tiles, wooden tiles, vinyl tiles, linoleum tiles, corktiles, quarry tiles and any similar constructional elements whether forinterior or exterior use as wall tiles, ceiling tiles, floor tiles,tiles for roadways, footways, entrance drives, or the like, pavingtiles, cladding, building generally or similar use.

Several different types of tiles are available however, they are oftenlimited as regards resistance to breakage and/or interlocking andespecially as regards the scope for laying a range of differentaesthetically pleasing patterns.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved tile which willovercome at least some of these problems.

According to the invention there is provided a tile etc. as per newclaim 1. Preferably the second side edge is opposite and generallyparallel to the first side edge.

In one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the side edgesare of curvilinear shape, the curvilinear shape of the second, third andforth side edges being substantially the same and conforming with thecurvilinear shape of part of the first side edge.

Most preferably the curvilinear shape is generally arcuate and theradius of the arc of the second, third and fourth side edges issubstantially equal and also equal to the radius of the first side edge.Preferably the second, third and fourth side edges are of generallyconcave shape and the first side edge is of generally convex shape.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention all the sideedges are curved, each side edge being a portion of a circle, and theradii of curvature of all of the side edges are equal.

In one embodiment of the invention the first and third and first andfourth side edges respectively subtend of an angle of approximately 60°.

In one embodiment of the invention the tile has embossed or imprintedthereon a pattern. The pattern may for example comprise curvilinearshapes extending from the midpoint of the second side edge, to points ofsubstantially 1/3 and 2/3 the length of the first side edge. Preferablythe radius of the curvilinear pattern is the same as the radius of thesecond, third and fourth side edges.

In another embodiment of the invention the first side edge comprises anumber of portions which extend at angles to one another. Preferably theangle subtended between adjacent first side edge portions is 120°.

In a preferred embodiment arrangement there are three first side edgeportions of equal length and each having the same length as the lengthof the second, third and fourth side edges.

In a further embodiment of the invention the tile comprises a number ofsub tiles joined together. The sub tiles may be joined by means of amesh. Preferably frangible links are provided between at least some ofthe sub tiles.

The invention also provides a composite tile comprising tile accordingto the invention with another similar tile or tiles or part(s) thereof.

The invention further provides filler and/or starter tile pieces forfitting between a tile or tiles according to the invention and aboundary, a filler and/or starter tile piece at least partly conformingto portion of a tile according to the invention.

According to another aspect, the invention provides a tiling assemblycomprising a plurality of tiles according to the invention.

According to a further aspect, the invention provides a tiling systemsuch as a pavement, floor, wall, wall cladding or the like formed from aplurality of tiles according to the invention.

The invention also provides a laid tiling system such as a pavement,floor, wall, wall cladding or the like formed from a plurality of tilesaccording to the invention laid in side-by-side relation.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription thereof given by way of example only with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tile according to the invention;

FIGS. 2 to 4 are plan views illustrating the pattern of paving, claddingor like formed using a plurality of the tiles of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of another tile according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1 thereof there isillustrated a tile according to the invention indicated generally by thereference numeral 1. The tile 1 has a first side edge 2, a second sideedge 3 which in this case is shorter, opposite and generally parallel tothe first side edge 2. The tile also has third and fourth side edges 4,5 which extend between the first and second side edges 2, 3. It will benoted that the third and fourth side edges 4, 5 are not parallel.

In this preferred embodiment the side edges are all of curvilinearshape, the curvilinear shape of the second, third and fourth side edges3, 4, 5 being substantially the same and conforming with the curvilinearshape of part of the first side edge 2. In this case the curvilinearshape is part of the circumference of a circle which has a radius, theradius of the curvilinear shape of the side edges 2, 3, 4, 5, all beingsubstantially the same length.

The first and third and first and fourth side edges 2, 4 and 2, 5respectively subtend and angle α which is approximately 60°.

Each of the lengths a, b, c, d, e and f, illustrated in FIG. 1 aresubstantially equal.

If desired, a pattern may be embossed or imprinted on the surface of thetile. In the case illustrated in FIG. 1 the pattern comprises arcuatepattern shapes 6, 7 which extend from the midpoint of the side edge 3 torespectively points 1/3 and 2/3 along the first side edge 2. The radiusof the pattern line 6, 7 is the same and is again equal to the radius ofeach of the side edges. The lengths g, h are the same and are equal toa, b, c, d, e and f.

The pattern lines 6, 7 may also define scoring lines along which thetile may be cut to form filler tile pieces for use in laid tilingsystems.

The tile 1 according to the invention may be used to form a very largerange of aesthetically pleasing different patterns.

The tiles used to form a particular pattern may all be of the samepattern, ornament or colour or may be of two or more patterns, ornamentsor colours.

The arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 are only illustrativeexamples of the patterns which could be formed using the tiles accordingto the invention. It will be noted that in some of these patterns afiller tile part, as described above, is used in some configurations.

Referring to FIG. 5 there is illustrated another tile 10 according tothe invention which is similar to the tile described above withreference to FIG. 1 and like parts are assigned the same referencenumerals. In this case, the first side edge 2 is divided into threeportions 11a, 11b, 11c of equal length. The length of each of theportions 11a, 11b, 11c is equal to the length of each of the second,third and fourth side edges 3, 4, 5. The angle subtended betweenadjacent first side edge portions is 120°. All of the aspects describedabove with reference to the tile of FIG. 1 may also be applied to thistile.

It will be appreciated that two or more of the tiles according to theinvention may be combined to form any desired shape which may be usefulin covering large areas for repeating patterns. Where such a compositetile is provided it may be provided with a scoring line or lines alongwhich the composite tile may be broken to form the basic tile shapeillustrated.

It will also be appreciated that the tiles according to the inventionmay be formed with projections and/or recesses for interlockingengagement, one with another or with a separate interlocking piece tojoin adjacent tiles.

It will be appreciated also that the tile may be of any suitable shapein transverse cross-section. For example the side edges of the tile maydiverge inwardly from the upper face thereof for bedding into a bed ofsand or the like.

It will be appreciated that the tile may comprise a number of sub tilesof any shape and configuration which when joined together form therequired shape. The jointing may for example be by means of a mesh andfrangible links could be provided between some or all of the sub tiles.There may be a very large number of sub tiles or a relatively smallnumber. For example, in the case of the tile of FIG. 1, the sub tilesmay be as defined by the pattern lines 6, 7 which in this case maydefine joint lines between adjacent sub tiles. The tile of FIG. 4 couldalso be divided into sub tiles in a similar manner.

Many other variations and modifications on the invention will be readilyapparent and accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodimentshereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction anddetail.

I claim:
 1. A tile comprising:a first side edge, a second side edge,third and fourth side edges which extend between the first and secondside edges, the second, third and fourth side edges being ofsubstantially equal length, the length of the first side edge beingsubstantially the sum of the lengths of the other three side edges, allof the side edges being of curvilinear shape, and each side edgedefining a portion of a circle, the radii of curvature of all of theside edges being substantially equal.
 2. A tile as claimed in claim 1wherein the second side edge is opposite and generally parallel to atleast portion of the first side edge.
 3. A tile as claimed in claim 1wherein the side edges are of curvilinear shape, the curvilinear shapeof the second, third and forth side edges being substantially the sameand conforming with the curvilinear shape of part of the first sideedge.
 4. A tile as claimed in claim 3 wherein the curvilinear shape isgenerally arcuate and the radius of the arc of the second, third andforth side edges is substantially equal and also equal to the radius ofthe first side edge.
 5. A tile as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second,third and forth side edges are of generally concave shape and the firstside edge is of generally convex shape.
 6. A tile as claimed in claim 3wherein all of the side edges are curved, each side edge being a portionof a circle, and the radii of curvature of all of the side edges areequal.
 7. A tile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and third andfirst and forth side edges respectively subtend of an angle ofapproximately 60°.
 8. A tile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tile hasembossed or imprinted thereon a pattern.
 9. A tile as claimed in claim 8wherein the pattern comprises curvilinear shapes extending from themidpoint of the second side edge, to points of substantially 1/3 and 2/3the length of the first side edge.
 10. A tile as claimed in claim 9wherein the radius of the curvilinear pattern is the same as the radiusof the second, third and forth side edges.
 11. A tile as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first side edge comprises a number of portionswhich extend at angles to one another.
 12. A tile as claimed in claim 11wherein the angle subtended between adjacent first side edge portions is120°.
 13. A tile as claimed in claim 11 wherein there are three firstside edge portions of equal length and each having the same length asthe length of the second, third and fourth side edges.
 14. A compositetile comprising a tile as claimed in claim 1 with another similar tileor tiles or part(s) thereof.
 15. A filler and/or tile piece for fittingbetween a tile or tiles as claimed in claim 1 and a boundary, the fillerand/or tile piece at least partly conforming to portion of a tile asclaimed in any preceding claim.
 16. A tiling assembly comprising aplurality of tiles as claimed in claim
 1. 17. A tiling system such as apavement, floor, wall, wall cladding or the like formed from a pluralityof tiles as claimed in claim
 1. 18. A laid tiling system such as apavement, floor, wall, wall cladding or the like formed from a pluralityof tiles as claimed in claim 1 laid in side-by-side relation.
 19. A tilecomprisinga first side edge, a second side edge, third and fourth sideedges which extend between the first and second side edges, the second,third and fourth side edges being of substantially equal length, thelength of the first side edge being substantially the sum of the lengthsof the other three side edges, a pattern embossed or imprinted on thetile, the pattern including curvilinear shapes extending from a midpointof the second side edge, to points of substantially one-third andtwo-thirds the length of the first side edge.
 20. A tile as claimed inclaim 19, wherein the radius of the curvilinear pattern is the same asthe radius of the second, third and fourth side edges.